Anthony Joshua will face Wladimir Klitschko next April
Eighteen pro fights, eighteen wins, eighteen KO’s. The AJ express thunders on. The outclassed American Eric Molina was Anthony Joshua’s latest victim on Saturday night, as the British heavyweight successfully defended his IBF world title, and landed a mouth-watering contest with Wladimir Klitschko on April 29th next year.
Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, is hopeful that the WBA, IBF and Ring magazine belts will be at stake for what is a hugely-anticipated fight. It is scheduled for Wembley Stadium, where the attendance could match the all-time highest figure for a British fight. “It will definitely be 80,000 but we will ask for permission to go to 90,000”, said Hearn.
Way back in 1939, light-heavyweights Len Harvey and Jock McAvoy fought at White City stadium in front of 90,000, and more recently 80,000 saw the Carl Froch/George Groves rematch in 2004 – a fight that grossed £22m. Joshua/Klitschko, however, is expected to smash that and gross around £30m – with an estimated one million purchases via Sky Box Office on their pay per view platform. Big fight, big money.
So what are Joshua’s prospects for April 29th? His predictable flattening of Molina demonstrated more of what we’ve become used to – some decent movement, a calm focus, and chiefly of course, devastating punching power. But Klitschko will be a different proposition.
The Ukrainian fighter, who will be 41 when he meets Joshua, is an experienced, accomplished champion of many years standing. Intelligent and thoughtful, he is one of those fighters who give the sport a good name. This is a man whose ruled the heavyweight division for nine and a half years, until he lost to Tyson Fury in a major upset in November 2015.
It should be a fascinating contest, a natural aggressor in Joshua against a largely defensive fighter in Klitschko, who will use his impressive jab to try to keep Joshua at bay. Klitschko will show patience, Joshua must not become impatient. All Klitschko’s experience and ring craft will be utilised in an attempt to frustrate and wear down Joshua.
The difference in experience is huge. Klitschko has had more Championship bouts – twenty-eight, to be precise – than Joshua’s had pro fights. Klitschko will be a massive step up in class for Joshua, who hasn’t fought anybody remotely in that league yet. And Klitschko will have noted the huge scare Joshua was given by Londoner Dillian Whyte, whose own power significantly troubled Joshua when they clashed a year ago.
But Joshua’s supporters will use that as a positive, to prove he can take good punches and come back. Should Klitschko hurt him in a similar way, especially if it’s in the later stages of the fight should it go that far, it would be a test of Joshua’s stamina as well as his chin. Joshua has not boxed any further than seven rounds in any of his fights – but then of course, he hasn’t needed to.
Joshua has won many fans since we saw him win super-heavyweight gold at London 2012. Articulate, likeable and humble, it’s to his enormous credit he has dedicated himself so impressively to his sport, since getting into trouble in his early twenties with drugs, and, as he described it, “fighting and other crazy stuff”.
The rise of Joshua is part of a very interesting period in heavyweight boxing, and thank goodness for that. The recent past in this division has been, frankly, a snooze-fest for far too long. From a British viewpoint, David Haye has made a welcome return to action, and his next fight with Scouser Tony Bellew will be majorly explosive, if their press conference was anything to go by. The Hayemaker really should be saving his haymakers for the actual fight.
On Saturday nights undercard, Brits Dereck Chisora and Dillian Whyte fought a quite amazing battle over 12 rounds which went one way then the other after practically every round, leaving both men exhausted, and Whyte a narrow winner on points.
There is also the classy American Deontay Wilder, the current WBC heavyweight champion sitting menacingly in the background. Wilder is a seriously impressive fighter, unbeaten in 37 fights, 36 by knock-out. The thought of a Joshua v Wilder contest at some point is not so much mouth-watering, more like salivation overload.
But for now, Joshua must focus on Klitschko. By the time April comes around, Klitschko will not have fought for almost a year and a half – a long period of inactivity for such a veteran. Joshua will be 14 years Klitschko’s Junior when they meet – a huge difference. At 27, Joshua is in his prime. Klitschko will rely heavily on that fabled jab and hope that it allows him to dictate. But Joshua’s punching power is unquestionable. If he lands clean, the question is whether Klitschko’s chin will be any more resistant than any of Joshua’s previous opponents.
Sometimes fights get over-hyped and fail to live up to the expectation. This one, however, feels different. Britain’s best heavyweight for many years will finally be tested at the highest level, against a legend of boxing. It feels massive. Not just a fight, an event.
Whilst Klitschko’s achievements and longevity are to be hugely respected, the fact remains he will be 41 when facing Joshua. That feels very significant, and this Blogger predicts that Joshua’s raw power will prevail, probably by a TKO. Good luck, Anthony – bring it on.
By Chris Tribe
10th December 2016
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